MAN'S FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL 



6:53 



to diphtheria could, when inoculated into other animals, confer this 

 immunity upon them. A protective antitoxin was first used in 1893 

 in Berlin and a perfected antitoxin made from the blood of the horse 

 was used with startling success in this country in 1895. In 1916, a 

 modified treatment in which the toxin of the germ was injected along 

 with the antitoxin resulted in a better protection because the nat- 

 ural defenses of the body were stimulated by the small amount of 

 toxin injected to form antibodies, wliile the antitoxins protected the 

 body from harmful effects. This toxin-antitoxin treatment was in 

 turn improved upon in 1923 by two workers, one in France and the 

 other in England, who found that diphtheria toxin treated with 

 formalin lost its toxic power but at the same time continued to pro- 

 duce immunity. This substance, called a toxoid, bids fair to become 

 the only method used. It will be noted that this is an active immunity 

 and not passive such as that produced by antitoxin. 



Another control measure against diphtheria has been found in the 

 so-called Schick test, named after its discoverer, Bela Schick. This 

 test shows immediately 

 whether a person is sus- 

 ceptible or immune to the 

 disease. A very minute 

 amount of diphtheria toxin 

 is injected into the outer 

 skin and if the person is 

 susceptible, an almost im- 

 mediate reddening of the 

 skin takes place. In 1926, 

 a five-year program to 

 eliminate diphtheria was 

 tried in New York State 



deaths per 100,000 cVjildrsn uncCar iS 



IcCiphtheria in. 

 Kev>6rkXy| 



Education of all parents plus the findings of medical 

 science will ultimately stamp out diphtheria. 



in which several agencies co-operated. In general, the program con- 

 sisted of Schick testing all young children, the susceptible children 

 being immediately treated with toxin-antitoxin. That this program 

 was not completely successful was due to the fact that some people 

 avoided their responsibility. It would be possible to wipe out 

 diphtheria by very early treatment of all babies with toxoid. 



Another disease of children which has been responsible for a large 

 number of deaths and much unnecessary illness is scarlet fever. In 

 this disease a new test devised by Dr. and Mrs. Dick and known as the 

 Dick test is used in the same way as the Schick test. A dilute toxin 



